Photo Credit: @frankiesfrickenflowers

If there is one thing that can bond a ’90s girl with another, it’s their love of boy bands. In this particular instance, Backstreet Boys. A trip to Vegas to see the best boy band ever (N’SYNC fans, take several seats) found my friends in line next to a delightful woman in town with her husband for the show. Her name, Kayla. Soon enough Instagrams were exchanged and since then I’ve admired every photo she’s taken for her business, Keeper Photography. There’s a classic beauty to every picture she takes and we talked not only about style but surprise engagements, retreats and so much more.

Kendra: When did you start getting into photography and when did you decide that it was a viable business option for you to take it from a hobby to a career?

Kayla: I started getting into photography about five years ago. I’ve always been an artsy person, and into my high school years (the days before cell phones!) I had typically had a camera with me, usually a disposable one then onto graduating to a digital, that’s where the fun came in. I was always taking photos, and as I became a mother, my love for it grew tremendously. Eventually, friends or family members would ask if I could take pictures of their children too. Everything just seemed to snowball quickly from here.

Kendra: When I’m scrolling through Instagram, I can always tell your shots from others. You have this beautiful, flawless look to your photos. Is that something you developed over the years?

Kayla: Thank you! I appreciate you saying that! I’ve developed a lot of different styles over the years with a lot of trial and error I can now confidently say that I am pleased with where my style is.

Kendra: At the end of the day, how does it feel knowing that pictures you take of an engagement or wedding will be a part of a couple’s story?

Kayla: It makes me very happy, but also there’s a significant pressure to take on a wedding or an engagement shoot knowing these will be their only memories of that day. That’s why I bring my A-game to all of my sessions or weddings. My husband Brent who is my second shooter helps ease the nerves; he rocks every wedding with me.

Kendra: Recently you were part of a surprise engagement. Those always seem hard AF to me. Was it indeed difficult to pull off?

Kayla: Oh my goodness! Yes, this was incredibly tricky to pull off. It was months of back and forth with the client on how she was going to propose to her girlfriend and where we were going to do set everything up. After all of the extensive planning, we had done, everything went off without a hitch and, they are due to get married next year in the mountains.

Kendra: Living in Canada, you have some of the best outdoor spots in the world. What is your favorite place to shoot?

Kayla: Oh yes, we really do, I love living in Canada! I live in Northern Alberta, so we’re restricted to a lot of the beautiful locations since we get extreme cold and snow for what seems like for half of the year. But where I live in Slave Lake, I have a large undercrowded beach to shoot at daily! I also love shooting in Banff, Alberta around the mountains.

Kendra: What is one trend in engagement photos that you would love couples to stay away from?

Kayla: From wanting the really posed photos, I love photographing connection and laughter between the couples. I’m not a fan of “Ok look say cheese!” haha if that makes sense! I want a genuine connection between the two of them.

Kendra: You have also taken part in photography retreats. Why would you recommend them to others?

Kayla: Yes, I have taken a couple of them which is kind of funny because I am an introvert. So it takes me a couple of days to relax and make friends. But that’s my favourite part is to go there and meet fellow photographers and chat with them about our journeys, I have one good friend I had met last year all the way over in Ireland and will make a point to stop there one day. These retreats are all about finding connections with women who have the same passion you do. Plus if you were to attend a retreat with Myrtle & Moss Photography you would never regret it, Angie is an insanely gifted mentor.

Kendra: As far as Keeper Photography, are there any big plans in 2019?

Kayla: In 2019 Keeper Photography will be heading over to do some more destination weddings and taking on a few more weddings in the mountains. I love to travel, so to do it while working is a huge bonus. I’ve worked hard to achieve where I am right now; I don’t have any huge new plans. Just going to enjoy that I am where I have always wanted to be.